SpaceX Plans Starship Launch on September 22, Aiming for First Orbit

The upcoming launch is especially important as it will also deploy operational third-generation Starlink internet satellites. SpaceX is focused on making Starship a key component of NASA's Artemis moon program and is pursuing long-term goals of sending humans to Mars.

This will be the 14th flight test since April 2023 and the third test in 2026. The launch window is set to open between 7:15 and 8:30 a.m. CT. Starbase, located about 180 miles south of Corpus Christi, serves as SpaceX's headquarters.

To date, Starship has not reached orbit during its 13 previous test flights, as SpaceX deliberately conducted suborbital tests to enhance public safety and gather valuable data. Flight 14 could mark the first instance of the Starship reaching orbit, which would be a crucial step toward establishing it as a fully reusable launch vehicle capable of multiple missions.

In this launch, the lower-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, is expected to land in the Gulf Coast after providing thrust for the launch. SpaceX anticipates that the upper-stage of Starship will ascend to more than 170 miles and complete up to six Earth orbits during a mission lasting up to 10 hours, eventually returning to a water landing in the Pacific Ocean west of Chile.

Additionally, flight 14 might be the first operational deployment of Starlink satellites, with 26 third-generation satellites poised for service shortly after the launch. These satellites are designed to be larger and more powerful than the nearly 11,000 already in orbit.

Starship, which has undergone extensive testing since April 2023, is envisioned by Elon Musk as a fully reusable transportation system capable of carrying substantial payloads to space. Musk's long-term plans include establishing a self-sustaining colony on Mars.

SpaceX has also secured a contract with NASA to develop a lunar lander version of Starship, known as the Human Landing System, to transport astronauts to the moon. NASA aims for Starship to be ready for the Artemis III mission, targeted for 2027, as part of efforts to return humans to the moon by 2028 and create a sustainable lunar outpost.

Starship's most recent flight test occurred on July 24, with its latest prototype, Version 3, standing at 407 feet tall. During the last test, the upper-stage successfully deployed 20 Starlink satellites before landing in the Indian Ocean. This marked a significant advancement as the upper-stage was able to remain afloat, allowing SpaceX to recover it for future missions.

Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network.